-japan council. i look forward to working closely with her in that important role. when a significant figure in alaska passes, we often say that a big tree has fallen. in the islands, daniel inouye was the biggest of the big trees. there is no way to minimize the loss that the people of hawaii are feeling. you can see it in the face of governor amber come by yesterday. he could barely control his tears as he conducted a lengthy news conference following senator inouye's passing. we saw our friend and colleague, senator akaka, as he delivered very sad remarks as well. in hawaii, as in alaska, these are personal -- these things are personal. losing a longtime senator feels like losing a member of your own family. well, mr. president, the senate ohana is less today because senator inouye is no longer with us. let me simply tai say that the people of alaska and the people of this great nation stand with the people of hawaii, and i offer my personal commitment to the people of hawaii, as the now senior-most senator representing the decades-old alliance of ourtorum territ